Toxic Shock
by Lightning Type
Summary: With a sigh, Elesa asked, "What are you even doing here, Roxie?" "I'm here for training." The Poison-type Leader declared, folding her arms and looking immensely proud of herself. [Just a short thing I wrote for a friend's birthday that I decided to upload.]


Decided to upload this little thing I wrote for a friend's birthday, starring our favorite Gym Leaders.

* * *

There was never a quiet night in Nimbasa City. Popular attractions such as the Ferris Wheel, Stadiums, and the Battle Subway rattling underground simply attracted too much attention and noise for Nimbasa City to ever be considered "quiet".

Yet, despite all this, "Shining Beauty" Elesa was capable of finding her own sense of peace. Alone in her darkened Gym and wearing nothing but shorts, a sports bra, and her headphones, Elesa was dancing a one-woman show on the runway. Her favorite electronica band, _Wild Switch_ , had released a new single earlier today ("Full-Body Paralysis (Your Love is Stunning)"), and Elesa promptly downloaded it the first free moment she got. The metallic beats drifted from her headphones and surged through her body, forcing it to move.

Elesa was so entranced by the song and her freestyle dancing that she didn't notice the Gym doors opening and closing. It wasn't until her visitor collided into her that Elesa stopped her performance and looked around. Lying on the floor was a young, thoroughly irritated girl wearing an oversized blue-and-purple-striped shirt with a bass guitar strapped to her back.

"Whattya doin'?!" Roxie snapped, heaving herself up. "Slamming inter me like that, darnnit…"

"You bumped into me," Elesa replied, pulling her headphones off to hang around her neck. Her dyed-black hair cascaded down her front, a recent change from her normal shortly-cut blonde style. "I wasn't paying attention."

"I saw that!" Roxie replied with a glare. "Yer not dancing to that awful music again, I hope."

Rage bubbled in Elesa's stomach for the briefest moment; she did not take kindly to her favorite music being insulted. Thankfully she had enough tact (and grace) to ignore it. "You're in no position to criticize my taste, Roxie."

"Yer taste is awful, so I have every right to criticize." Roxie wagged her finger at the older Gym Leader. "And it's indecent to be parading around like that."

"I wasn't parading," huffed Elesa, wanting very much to have her Zebstrika charge Roxie straight out of her Gym. "And it's not indecent if no one's around."

"I'm around now, so ya oughtta change."

With a sigh, Elesa asked, "What are you even doing here, Roxie?"

"I'm here for training." The Poison-type Leader declared, folding her arms and looking immensely proud of herself.

Elesa grabbed a towel from a nearby chair to wipe off the sweat clinging to her body. "Why not train in your own Gym?"

"I'm using it as a recordin' studio. Not enough room ta battle innit righ' now." Roxie frowned up at the darkened ceiling. "Whizzit so dark? I thought ya were 'n Electric Leader."

"I am. My Gym's closed now, so you'll have to come back tomorrow."

"Don't wanna!" cried Roxie, marching up to Elesa, hands balled into fists. "I want ta train now, so yer gonna help me!"

"Why me?" asked Elesa, more to herself than anyone and wishing she could retreat back into her headphones.

"'Cuz yer the only other girl nearby! Skyla's too far, and I figured I could change yer taste in music — "

"One thing at a time," Elesa said, holding up her hand to stop the younger Leader. Roxie pouted and flopped onto the runway. Elesa studied her for a moment, still attempting to process her emotions from the last five minutes. She wasn't about to give up Wild Switch's music anytime soon (especially with not having finished "Full-Body Paralysis" yet), but she figured the sooner Roxie was satisfied, the sooner she would leave.

"Alright," said Elesa with another sigh. "We'll do one — one! — training battle tonight. Next time, though, you'll need to get in contact with me sooner." She added, as Roxie shot back up with a gleeful shout.

"If I win, you gotta get rid of all yer stupid electronic sounds!"

"If I win, you never say that again." Snapped Elesa, heaving out her Zebstrika's Poké Ball a little more forcefully than usual.

* * *

Elesa flipped the page of her magazine. "Mm, what's this? Mega Evolution… how interesting. And Manectric is capable of that?"

"Whattya so intrigued about?" snapped Roxie from across the table, gobbling down a bowl of rice. "It's nothin' special, I bet. I could take it down wi' Scolipede."

"Just like before?" mused Elesa, glancing up to take in the sight of Roxie's agitated face. She set the open magazine down, resting her elbow on the table with her chin on her hand. "I'll admit you have the strength for a Gym Leader, Roxie, but you're far too reckless."

"I was doin' fine until ya used that darned Volt Switch!" Roxie replied, smacking her palms on the table. Her now-empty bowl clattered as she punctuated her speech with more slaps. "That was cheatin' and ya know it! I couldn' do nothing and got slammed by yer stupid zebra!"

"That's how electricity works," Elesa said, dismissing her companion's claims with a hand-wave. "But if you'd like to go again, I'd be happy to oblige —"

"Yer damn right I wanna go again! I'll overload ya with poison and cripple ya!"

"That's not very lady-like."

"So what? Don't compare me to ya, I ain't a super uptight lady!"

"It takes certain poise to be a model, Roxie. Perhaps I should give you more than just battling lessons…"

"Nuh-uh! Yer never gonna get me to dress like you, struttin' around in undies…"

"I was fine until you came barging in." They had come back up to the runaway. Elesa put her hand on her hips, waiting for Roxie to scurry over to the opposite end. "Now then," She said, gripping a Poké Ball. "Let's begin…"


End file.
